Shoe tongue forming apparatus



Aug. 1943. A. JOHNSON 2,326,656

SHOE TONGUE FORMING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l H v 25 a 27 27 30 Aug. 10, 1943. A. JoHr'vsoN SHOE TONGUE FORMING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 28 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 20 j v I I Z5 /'"di 05 g I 1 /Z '1 A44 2/ h @56 1 I 4 7 ,FZZ/YZOK- w WrM 0, 1943. A. JCHNSON 2,326,656 SHOE TONGUE FORMING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ja e/7207;

/ aa /zza org Patented Aug. 10, 1943 2,326,656 7 a SHOETONGUE. FOR-MING APPARATUS Alfred Johnson, Chicag lll.

Application November 28, 1941, Serial No. zcyzcs (ol.12-1) i 1 Claims This invention relates in general to a forming apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for forming parts of shoes. More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus for forming the tongues of shoes. I

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved material forming apparatus for forming shoe. tongues whereby the tongue when removed from the forming apparatus has assumed the proper shape and proportion, being stretched-in two directions for form fitting purposes and to remove a all wrinkles from the leather from which the tongue is made. V

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simple positively operating andjeflicient mechanism or apparatus for drawing or forming leather to make shoe tongues, the leather bein drawn in two directions during theforming operation-to provide the proper shape and't'o remove all wrinkles and creases from the material.

Another important object of the inventionis the provision of a rigid economically constructed and positively operating apparatus comprising few parts arrangedin correlation so asto effect a proper drawing operation in two directions on a piece or leather forming a shoe tongue was to stretch and draw the material. to a proper shape and to. render the same smooth and free of wrinkles.', 3 V 1 Still another object of the invention is the provision o1";a. shoe tongue forming apparatus 'con-- structed and arranged so that the parts are free t e move if necessary because of the varying thickof leather or otherwise, there being spring means provided to effect relative yielding of the various parts comprising the forming dies where-- by breakage of the parts or other damage is prevented by excess pressures or should relatively thick material be used. Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout the progress of the following specification. a The accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. l is a detail side elevational view of th improved shoe tongue forming apparatus; Fig. 2 is a-detail front elevational view thereof, the parts being'shown in normal open position; Fig.v 3 is a detail transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, but showing the parts in a difierent position; the parts being in forming position;

drawn together ing. a threaded opening' in the underside of die, Bas indicated at lfi Fig. 4. .Theseboltsor Figeis adetail longitudinal sectionalfviewon the line 44 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a'detail perspectiveview shoe tongue. 7 e s The particular apparatus herein shownior the purpose of illustrating the, invention comprises .a

of a formed base I properly mounted onsuitable supports'2 for securing the apparatus in .place on a: suitable support such as a workbench Base I has mounted thereon angle members 4 and 5 properly spaced a predetermined distance apart. to supporttheside members 6 and 1 respec. tively of a lower female die which isindicated generally .by the numeral 8. This lower female die member 8 not only includes theside members 6 and l, but also includes the hollow female die 9, Figs. 2 and 3. The side membersli and rare provided with-threaded openings l8, Fig.3, to

.receive the threaded ends for bolts or studs- II. These bolts or studs H pas'sthrough openings [2 in Fig. 3 provided in the opposed angle members 4 and5 to-receivethe bolts orstuds H.

facesof the angle'members 4 and 5 and the outer surfaces of the members 6; and 1 to urge normally the side forming members. 6 and! inwardly. f Theinward movement of thegm'embers 6 and T, however, is limited bythe heads I4; on the bolts or The side forming platesli and 'l are therefore limited asto their inward movement studs I l.

but are free to expand or spread apart outwardly.

: Flates 5 and 1- may therefore. be said to be yieldingly mounted. There are sufficient-bolts ll to guide the plates properly, to hold the plates in proper relative position and to prevent canting .or accidental shifting of the side plates. .Moreover, the springsl3 are sumciently inflexible or rigid to maintain normally the parts in proper position, but are free to give sufficiently when a predetermined amount of pressure is applied n The bottom hollow female die member. Si is ar ranged between the side forming plates 5 and l but the side walls thereof are in relative close contact with the inner side walls of the members 6 and l. The member 9-is therefore.mounted for proper operation with respect to the side members 6 and 1 without having any frictional contact therewith. The member is maintained in proper position by means of set screws or studs 15 having their upper ends threadedly engagstuds I 5 extend throughfopenings l'ljin the base l and have heads 18 larger than the opening ll Springs l3, Fig. 3,-are' arranged between the irinersur-s upward vertical movement of the female die member 9. Urging springs I9 are properly posit-ioned and supported between the upper surface of base I and the lower surface of the female die member 9 to urge normally the lower feniale die 9 in an upwardly direction. The upward movementof the member 9, however, is limited because of the engagement of the heads 18 contacting the under side of the base I, Fig. 3. The lower die 8, therefore, comprises side members 6 and I which are resiliently mounted so'as to move outward when suficient pressure is applied as well as to allow the lower member 9 to move aeaaese lationship with the lower die 8, pressure is apdownwardly when sufiicient pressure is applied.

The lower die 8 has its sides arcuate o curved as indicated at 20, Figs. 1 and l, while the upper operating surface of the die member 3 is concave as indicated at 2 l, Figs.2 and 3.

An upper male die member 22 is adapted to cooperate with the lower female die 8 so as to' press properly a shoetongue 23 therebetween, Figs. 3 and 4. The upper die 22 convex. as indicated at 24, Figs. Ziand .3, and'is also curved longitudinally as indicated at 25, Fig. 1. so as to have p oper nesting o in erfl t ne elat n p with the lower dieimember 6. This upp r. d

22 is ri id y secured to a top plate 25 by means lower 'die fl'when the plate 25 is forced down wardly againstthe urging action of the springs 28. H l

The uppercooperating die 22 adapted to be brought into fgrming relationship with the lower die-'8 by pulling downwardly on the operating 5 links or rods 3| which are operatively connected to treadle 32, Fig. l.- These linksor rods 3l pass through the'base land through the upper plate 28, there being nuts 33 on the extreme upper ends of the rods or links 3| above the topplat'e 26 so that when a downward pull is applied to these rods 3| the top" plate 26 will move downwardly against the urging action'ofthe springs 28 andbring the die 22 intocornplementary en gageinent with the lower die 8. When thedown- U ward pull or pressure is removed fro'm the rodsv member 39 to move downwardly thereby bringor links 3!, the upper die will'return to normal position because t he upper plate 26 will hereturned to normal position by the springs 23. The upward movement of the plate 26 by the springs 28 will cause the rods or links 3! to attain their normal position as shown in Fig. 2;

The rods or links 3| are operatively connected to the foot treadle mechanism 32'. This treadle mechanism 32, Fig. l, comprises a member 34 suitably pivoted at 35 to a supporting member such as a part of the bench 3. hercds 3! pass through the member 34 and carry nuts 31 so that when the foot pedal 38, Fig. l,'is pressed downwardly to swing the member 341011 its pivot 35' the rods or links 3! will be pulled ,giownwardly. The treadle mechanism 32 is so constructed to permit sufiicient movement so that the upper die 22 isadapted to come into die forming relations ship with the lower. die 8,. Thelever 39. is piv-E 7'5 ing die 8.

plied to the foot pedal 38 whereby the rods or links 3| will be forced downwardly. The down- Wardmo ementcf the member 34 by pressure applied to the foot pedal 38 will cause the lever ingan upper notch into registration with the keeper pin 43, holding the parts in locked position. The lever 39 is preferably positioned at an angle as clearly wn in Fig. 1 so h it Willlean forwa d y. The t eth n the forward side or he ve m rs 38. ar n lined so t a when the pedal is depressed the. teeth will slide over the locking pin or keeper 43, but the parts willbe. maintained in locked position preventing movement in an opposite direction until the lever is'swung to the right, Fig. 1, to release the lever from the locking pin or keeper $3. This latter means-for maintaining the dies in locked position is desirable inasmuch as one operator can attend'to several apparatus, letting one or more of the devices remain in locked position while others are being released and primed with materialto be operated upon. Therefore, the operator-can set the first die and lock it in position and allow it-to'remain in locked die forming position while other devices are being unlocked, loaded or unloaded."

In the forming of the shoe tongues it is desirable that the dies are maintained at a predetermined. temperature; therefore, a heating element such as' a gas burner is arranged beneath the metal supporting base I. The burnerallll is operatlvely connected to a gas pipe Slfwhich leads: to a suitable source of gas supply, there being a shut-.o'fi valve 52 provided.

in the line 5!. .The heat provided by the gas from the jet or burner 50 is thus transmitted to themembers 6, l and 9 of the lower form'- The temperature of the lower forming die 8 maybe 'regulated'by operating the valve 52 to increase 'ordecrease' the supply of as asrequired- When a shoe tongue 23 is to be formed, it is placed across the lower-die B as indicated in Fig. The foot pedal 38 is then stepped upon with sufficient: force to bring the upper die 22 into registration with the lower'die 8 whereby theparts will assume the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The thickness of the leather tongue, the application of pressure and the positioning and. contour of the die members will cause the tongue to be spread longitudinally and pulled transversely so as to effect a drawing of the leather in both directions, that is, longitudinally and transversely." Because of the shape of themembers the tongue will be drawn both longitudinally and transversely to form the tongue shown in Fig. 5, whereby the tongue will be curved transversely as indicated at and curved longitudinally as indicated at El, Fig. 5. The longitudinal stretching or drawing of; the

h is sed y he curved er arcuate shape of the dies longitudinally while the transverse stretching .or, drawingot the tongue is caused.

Also the curve of the tongue transversely is caused by the cross-sectional shape of the dies.

Theilongitudinal curve is c'ausedsalso by the longitudinal curve" of the members; In actual practice it has been found that the presentforming apparatus will stretch or draw the material in two directions, giving it the proper foot forming shape as well as ironing out and smoothing he leather so 'as to remove all wrinkles therefrom. While the die forming apparatus is particularly applicable for forming shoe tongues for skating shoes sold under the wellknown brand of Alfreds, itis of course understood that the invention is applicable for making tongues for all types'of shoesfi It has also been found that the application of heat is desirable in efiectingthe proper drawing and-ironing operation whether the tongues are operatedupon in a dry or wet state.

The invention provides a relatively simple apparatus comprising few and simple parts for efficiently forming shoe tongues at a relatively low Also, the invention provides an appacost. ratus which may be economicallymanufactured to'perform the efiicient operation of making properly shoe tongues'of the desired shape or configuration. Changes may be made in theform, construcion and arrangement of theparts without departing from-the spirit of the invention or sacrificing anyof its advantages; and the right is hereby reservedto make all suchchanges as fairlyfall within the scope of the following claims. I

The invention-is hereby claimed as followsf 1. A forming member comprising a' lower die, an upper diespaced from theilower die, spring means for urging one of said dies away from the other, means for limiting the movement of one die with respect to the other, a depressible foot treadle for'moving the upper die against the lower die to bring the dies into nesting relationship, lever means fastened tothe foo-ttreadie, and means for locking said lever means in position to maintain said dies in operative iorming' nested position.

2; A forming member comprising a lower die, an' upper die spaced from the lower die, spring means for urging one of said diesiaway from the other, means for limitingithe movementfoi one diewith respect to the other, a depressible foot treadle for moving thefuppendie against the lower dieto bringthe dies into nesting relationship, lever means fastened'to the foottreadle, andmeansior locking said lever means'in ing nested position, one :oi said dies havinglfresiliently mounted sides tov permit yielding move- 7 ment when the diesare broughtltogether.

'3. A forming member" comprising a pair of spaced platesyieldingly mounted to permit lat a longitudinal and transverse drawing operation is effected on material arranged between said vertical movement of said die member between said plates, whereby forming members moving one member, towar the other into forming -relationship.--

4. A forming apparatusffrfor shoe tongues fand the like comprising a pair, of expan'siblezside mem-g bers for a forming die, means supportingsaid sidemembers for movement toward "and away, from; each other-but restrainingjt-he members against 7 vertical movemennxspring means forurging said side members towardseach-other, means for lime.v

iting movementofsaid side members under urg ing action of saidi-spring means, a 'central'fdie member positioned between 'saidt,-side members,

means supporting said :central die member inde pendently' oi thesupport for said side member saidisupportingmeans for said-central die mem ber providing for; .vertical'movement 0f the eeri tral, die member between said side members, and

spring means -=for -normally urgin asaid central die member to apredetermined verticalposition with respectto said side members whilepermitting'vertical movement ,ofthe central member with respect to theside members.

5.'--A forming apparatus forshoetongues and the like comprising a pair of eXpansi-ble side H members for a forming die, means supporting said side members for movement, towards and away from each otherjbutrestraining the members against vertical movement, spring means for urging saidside members towardszeachother, means for limiting movement of said side members under urging action ofsaid spring'meansa central die member positioned between-said side die memberameans supporting said central die' member independently 'of the support for said side members, said supportingmeans ,-for said central die member providing for vertical movement of the central die member between saidside members, spring-means for normallyurging said central die member to a predetermined vertical position with respect to said side members while permitting vertical "movement of" the centralmember with respect to theside members, a secondforming die-movableinto nesting engagement with said first forming die, and means for i efiecting relative movementbetween said dies'tof shape work material placed-between the' diesn ;6. A forming-apparatusior shoe tongues and the like comprising i a pair of expansible, side members for a forming 'die,means supporting said side fmembers for movement towards and away from each other but restraining the membersagainst vertical movement, spring meansior j urging said side members towards'each other, means for,limiting; -movementof said side mem-i 'bersunder,urgingaction of said spring means, a}, central die memberipositicned betweensaid side die members, means supportingsaidcentral die member independently of the supportior said sidemembers, {said-supporting means for said Y central diemember providing for vertical move ment of the central die member betw'eensaid side members,spring means icr normallyurgin'gj' said central die member toa predeterminedverti cal position with respect to said'side members while permitting vertical-movement of the centralimember with respect tothe side members, a

second forming die movableinto nesting engagement with saidfirstlforming die, and means for effecting ,relative, movement between said dies to shape workmaterial placed between the-dies, said second forming die causing vertical movement of i said central di'e'mem-ber with respect'to said side die members. v

'7. A'forming apparatus-for shoetongues and the like comprising a-pair of ex'pansible side tween the dies against members for" a. refining die, means supporting said side members iriOVementtGWardsand awa from eachtfii biit istiainlrig-th fnernbei'sfigaiiist ve'r'tldal movement, spring means for iifg'ing said-side members towards each other,

for limiting fiifiil'riiilt of said Side memspring means fornorin'ally urging said central di'iiiember lid a predetermmedverticaipositicn with respect to said side members while permitting :vertial movement of the central member with respect to the side members-a second form mg die movable into nest ng engagement with said first forming die,-' and means for effecting relative movement between said dies to shal work material placed between; the dies, said see 0nd forming die causing vftldalfiioveiheht of said central die member with respect ts said side die members; and said central d e, member and said second forming the being 'ciirv'ed both 1on gittidinall'y and transversely.

A farming apparatus misses tongues and tfielik comprising 'a' pair or ei ipansible s'i d members for-a forming die, means supporting saidfsicle member's fori'n'ove'rne'ht rewards and Y awayfrcm sachet-her but restraining the mem hers against vertical movement, spring means for urging said side members towards each other,

' eans for limiting movement of Said-side members under lirging action or said spring means, acntraldie member positioned between said side die members, means supporting Said c ntral die ifiiilber independently of me support for Said side members, said supporting means for said central die member providing for vertical movementor the CIitlaI die member between said side members, spring means for normally urging said central die member tea predetermined v'rtical 'positic-h'with respect to [said side members i whi-le' permitting vertical movement of the c nreshape work'mat'erial placed between the dies,

said S'ond forming the causing :Vertial movementor said central die member res ect to said side die'ih'embeiSQand said clit r'alflle idem be! and said second forming die heme curved both lsngnudmsny and transversely, spring 7 means positioned between said dies and normally separating the saniavand treadle operated mechanis'ni' for enacting said relative movement beaction of said last'named sp ingmean's. 9. A forming apparatus for' s'hoe tongues and the like comp-rising a panel expaiisible' side members icra forming die, means supporting said side members forfmovemeht towards and away from each other but restraining the mere be'rs against vertical movement, s ring means thereof, spring means normally urging said cenfor urging said side members towards each other,

tral. die member; independently of the support ior said sideimembers, said supporting means for said central diemember providing: for .vertical movement. of the central die member between said side members, spring means for'normally urging said central die member to a predetermined verticalposition with respect to saidside members while permitting vertical movementof the central member with respect to the side mem hers, a second forming die movable into nesting engagement with said first forming die, and meansioreffecting relative movement between saiddies to shape work material placed between the dies, said second forming die causing vertical movement of said central die member with re spect to said side die members, and said central die member and said second forming die being curved both longitudinally and transversely, spring means positioned between said dies and normallyseparating the same, treadle operated mechanism for effecting said relative movement between the dies against action of said lastnamcd spring means, and locking means operatively associated with said treadle mechanism for locking said dies in nesting forming relationship.

10. Forming apparatus of the character described comprising a forming die having a pair of expansible side members, means supporting said side members for movement towards and away from each other but restraining the members against transverse movement, resilient means for urging said side members towards each other, means for limiting movement of said side members under urging, action of said resilient means, a central die member positioned between said side members, means supporting said central die member for movement independently of the movement of said side members, saidsupporting means for said central; die member providing for movement of the central die member between said side members and transversely thereof, and spring means normally urging said central diemember. to a predetermined position between said side members while permitting movement of the central member with respect to the side members. 1

11. Forming apparatus of'the character de scribed comprising aforming di having a pair of expansible' side members, means supporting said side members for movement towards and away from'each other but restraining the members against transverse movement, resilient means for urging said side members towards each other, means for limiting movement of said side members under urging. action of said resilient means, a central die member positioned between said side members, means supporting said centr'aI die member for movement independently of the movement of said side members, said supporting means for' said central die member providing ior movement of the central die member between said side members and transversely tral die member to a predetermined position between said side member's'while permitting movement of the central member with respect to the side members, a second forming die movable i'nto nesting engagement with said first forming die, and means rcr effecting relative movement between said dies to shape work material placed be tween the dies. J

' ALFRED JOHNSON. 

